“How is a Rooftop tent really different from a normal ground tent?”
That is the number one question I get asked when people see our camping setup. It is a very valid question, especially once you see the price tag on a rooftop tent (RTT). If you are in the market for an RTT or you are just curious why the heck anyone would pay money to own one – continue reading! This post will give you the pros and cons of an RTT and explain why we purchased an iKamper.
PROS:
1. The tent equivilant to a camping penthouse!
Sleeping on the ground is typically a given when camping – unless you have an RTT. I love climbing a ladder to the top of my car at night knowing I am up off the ground away from critters and other animals. Especially when we camp dispersed, there is no one around for miles so larger animals are more prevalent. Ones you do not want a run-in with at night!
2. Quick set up time.
The majority of RTTs set up in a few minutes. (The iKamper sets up in a minute flat!) This means you can roll into a campground or just pull up somewhere dispersed, pop up the tent, and be ready for bed a few minutes later.
3. Easier to disperse camp
Campgrounds are very appealing due to their facilities, fire rings, and level ground. If you want to disperse camp and find remote sites totally off-grid, it is often very hard to find level ground allowing you to pitch a ground tent. This is why RTTs are amazing for dispersed camping – you just need to level your vehicle which can be done easily with rocks or MaxTrax allowing you to camp anywhere!
4. Living “van life” without a van
Van life is so popular because you can travel anywhere without worrying about accommodations or planning ahead. Obviously, vans and van buildouts are PRICEY – much more expensive than an RTT. An RTT allows the same convenience but cheaper so you can live that nomadic lifestyle where you pick a destination and just hit the road!
5. Comfort
I will elaborate more on this when I discuss our iKamper but most RTTs come with a built-in mattress and insulated walls. This is more comfortable and cozier than a sleeping pad on the rocky ground so you have a better night’s sleep to fuel your next-day adventures.
CONS:
1. Expense
Obviously, I had to start with the cost because it is a very important factor when deciding to buy an RTT. These will typically run you anywhere from 1,500 to 5,000 dollars. This does not include ensuring you have a roof rack that will support the tent (statically and dynamically) and the bodyweight of those sleeping in it. We chose to go with a Prinsu rack as it worked for our setup.
2. It is always on your car
RTTs are HEAVY. So as a result, people typically leave them mounted. While this is not always a bad thing, it does decrease your gas mileage and will increase wind noise while driving. We keep ours mounted at all times because we don’t have the means to store it elsewhere right now. That being said, these tents are durable and we have not had an issue thus far with keeping it on our car.
3. Your campsite always comes with you
If you find a rad spot to camp and want to save it, typically people save it with a tent. Unfortunately, your RTT travels with you when you need to drive away from your campsite. So there is always that chance that your campsite may be taken when you return.
4. Bathroom trips
My LEAST favorite thing is climbing down a ladder in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom. I will literally avoid it at all costs! This may be something that is not important to others but to me, this is my least favorite thing about camping in an RTT.
Why We Chose an iKamper
Sleeping space
We are essentially a family of four – two humans and two child-size dogs. Our dogs are not ones to sleep alone in the backseat of the car while we sleep in the tent. So when shopping for an RTT, we knew we needed something that was going to fit us all. We chose the iKamper 2.0 as it folds out into a king bed – our tent is literally larger than our bed at home! iKamper has other size options as well if you don’t need as much space.
Quality
When I began shopping for RTTs, I not only researched them extensively but also called various overlanding outfitters and outdoor companies directly to ask what the best RTT was. The resounding answer was iKamper. The majority of people I talked to at various outfitters had iKamper’s for personal use even when their store did not carry or sell them. (This post is not sponsored in any way – this is all experience!)
Ease of set up
To pop up the iKamper, you essentially open two locks on the hardtop, the hardtop raises itself on shocks, and you pull out the ladder to fold out the tent. It is literally that easy. Once the tent is unfolded, there are tension poles to pop out the front and side windows. Aside from putting your bedding inside, you are done!
Outstanding features
If there were tent “rankings” that were equivalent to hotel stars – this would get 5! For comfort, you have a king-sized 2-inch foam mattress. The tent itself is made with a high-quality canvas that is actually quiet with wind – no more flapping tent noises as you are trying to sleep. There is a lot of natural light with windows on each side of the tent and a skylight! Each of these windows has a screen, plastic clear cover, and blackout cover that all can unzip separately. This means you can choose to allow airflow with the screen, zip up the plastic cover if you want to keep heat in but still have natural light, or totally black out the tent. The skylight is our favorite for star gazing!
As you can see, an RTT is an amazing luxury that allows you to travel with ease and camp wherever your car can take you. That being said, it comes at a price and does have some drawbacks. Since we are owners of an iKamper I can confidently say it was a great investment for us and our personal needs.
I hope this post helped either guide you on your journey to purchasing an RTT or gave you clarification as to how they are different than ground tent camping. As always, comment below if you found this article helpful or if you have any questions that we did not address!
